Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine professor named Gold Humanism Scholar at Harvard Macy Institute

Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine Assistant Professor Sabrina Neeley

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation selected Sabrina Neeley, Ph.D., M.P.H., a Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine assistant professor, as one of eight Gold Humanism Scholars at the Harvard Macy Institute 2014 Program for Educators.

The Gold Foundation selected Neeley for her proposal to advance humanism in medicine.

Neeley, assistant professor in the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine Center for Global Health and director of the medical school’s Physician Leadership Development Program, will join a select group of 60 participants in January and May 2014 for an 11-day in-residence winter session and a six-day in-residence spring session at the Harvard Macy Institute.

The Harvard Macy Institute was established in 1994 with a grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. It is a collaborative effort of Harvard Medical School, the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Business School.

As a Gold Humanism Scholar, Neeley will develop a series of Objective Standardized Clinical Education materials focusing on assessing professionalism and humanistic behaviors. A humanistic caregiver is one who demonstrates respect for a patient’s concerns and provides compassionate care for a patient’s physical and emotional well-being. 

“As part of the current Boonshoft School of Medicine curriculum revision process, we have identified professionalism and humanism as two physician characteristics that we want to emphasize more heavily,” Neeley said. “However, humanism and professionalism can be very difficult for faculty to measure and for students to self-evaluate. My project will provide additional information and tools that we can use as we implement the new curriculum.”

Brenda Roman, M.D., assistant dean for curriculum development at the Boonshoft School of Medicine, said Neeley’s being named a Gold Humanism Scholar was well deserved.

“She will learn so much from the Gold Humanism Scholar experience,” said Roman, who also is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and director of medical student education. “This opportunity will provide us with some pilot projects that will help set the stage for new curriculum and will help contribute to the scholarship of assessing professionalism in novel ways.”